[KLUG Hardware] Re: Memtest errors -- chipset and memory size ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Sun, 2002-06-09 at 08:45, Adam Williams wrote:
> I'm trying to put together a box out of leftover parts.
> I have a generic motherboard,

What chipset?  If you don't know, read the two or three main square
chips off of it.

> I have two different PC133 DRAM sticks.  One is a PNY certified
> to work at 66/100/133, the other is a generic PC133.  

What sizes?

> Since I have two different branch new SDRAM sticks that exhibit
> the same behavior I really don't think it is bad RAM.  Any
> recommendations on how I can narrow it down?
> (This is the only CPU that matches this motherboard I have).

9 times out of 10, it's an INcorrect DIMM for the mainboard.  Many
Pentium mainboard chipsets only support 64MB DIMMs or smaller and I
don't know of any that support greater than 128MB.

You could also potentially have a performance issue.  In addition to the
fact that Intel Triton I, II and IV (430FX, TX and VX) completely
disable the L2 cache (i.e. _all_ cache is disabled) if you put in more
than 64MB, many ViA and SiS chipsets also only support 64-256MB cachable
(i.e. only the first 64-256MB is cachable).

-- Bryan

-- 
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Bryan J. Smith, SmithConcepts, Inc.     mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org
Engineers and IT Professionals       http://www.SmithConcepts.com